Managing the Invasion Threat of Rugose Spiraling Whitefly (Aleurodicus Rugioperculatus Martin, Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in Coconut Plantations Through Surveillance and Biorational Strategies

Coconut palm is one of the important plantation crops grown worldwide, including Bangladesh. This study investigated the possible invasion threat of invasive and exotic rugose spiraling whitefly (RSW) by assessing its seasonal dynamics over 3 consecutive years (January 2020 to December 2022) and effective management strategies. Systematic weekly observations revealed no RSW infestation until the third week of May 2020 when first detected. Consistent presence of RSW nymphs, pupae, and adults was observed throughout the subsequent year, with peaks in April-May and September-October each year. Among various climatic factors, temperature emerged as a significant determinant influencing RSW population growth. Of the six different treatments, the chemical insecticide acetamiprid (Tundra (R) 50SP; Auto crop care Ltd., Dhaka, Bangladesh) proved most effective, achieving a notable reduction of over 80% in pest numbers after initial and follow-up applications. Bio-pesticides, especially D-limonene (Bio clean (R) 5%SL; Ispahani Agro Ltd., Gazipur, Bangladesh), initially provided moderate control (48.08-75.71%). However, upon the second application, significant reductions were observed in the nymph (81.51-84.03%), pupa (81.82-85.40%), and adult (84.21-89.76%) populations compared to untreated palms. Alternating application of acetamiprid and D-limonene exhibited high efficacy in controlling RSW. The proposed sustainable biorational management option involves a rotating application of acetamiprid followed by D-limonene. This approach integrates chemical and organic methods to minimize overuse of chemical pesticides and reduce the threat of RSW invasion to coconut palms.